- Nov 5, 2024
- 4 min read
While I was preparing dinner at a family reunion this summer, my cousin said "wow!, you must spend a lot of money on food, look at all that healthy stuff!, I can't eat like that because it's too expensive."
I wasn't sure how to respond.
I had made tabbouleh, hummus and tzatziki wraps. I served baby carrots and chopped watermelon on the side. (this is an AI generated photo...but it gives you an idea of what that looks like)
She was making sandwiches on grandma sycamore's white bread with sliced cheddar cheese and deli ham. For sides she served chips, soda and store bought cookies. (another AI generated photo).
Most people think that healthy eating costs a fortune.
I disagree.
Let's compare the cost of my cousin's ham and cheese sandwich lunch with my tabbouleh wrap lunch.
Ham + cheese Sandwich with chips and soda = $2.45
Cost of tabbouleh/hummus wrap with carrots + watermelon = $1.10
It really only cost me 80 cents because I got all the veggies out of my garden for free.
Want to know where I got those numbers? Check out the details at the end of the post.
You also get "more bang for your buck" with healthy food, because it's loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy fats.
Look at how nutritious the cheaper lunch is in this table:
Healthy food also has less added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
Yes, eating healthy does require some planning, preparation and know-how.
But it certainly doesn't cost more!
I know Tzatziki and Hummus is too weird and complicated for many people, so let's compare something easier:
chicken nuggets + fries
vs
black beans with rice and salsa
Great value Chicken Nuggets + great value french fries = 18.7 cent/oz + 9.3 cents/oz
Canned black beans + brown rice + salsa = 5.7 cents/oz + 5 cents/oz + 3 cents/oz
1 serving for a toddler is 2 oz protein (beans or chicken) and 2 oz starch, so
Nuggets + fries = 50 cents
beans, rice, salsa = 25 cents
Beans and Rice have less sodium plus more fiber and nutrients! Look at this table below:
Still not convinced that healthy eating is going to save you money?
Stay tuned. Next week I will compare a few more meals.
If you want more to read until then read this post I wrote about how cooking at home will save you money.
Nicole
Detailed cost analysis of ham sandwich vs. tabbouleh meal:
Cost of Ham + cheese Sandwich with chips and soda: $2.45
grandma sycamore's bread: 2.98 for 19 slices (16 cents/slice)
16 oz container great value deli ham: 5.97 for 16 oz (75 cents for 2 oz serving)
sliced cheddar cheese: 2.24 for 12 slices (19 cents per slice)
Doritos 3.00 for 9 servings (50 cents per serving)
Great Value Twist Up soda can: 4.46 for 12 cans (37 cents per can)
package of Oreos: $4.88 (32 cents per serving)
total: $2.45 for one serving of a sandwich, chips, soda and cookie
Cost of tabbouleh + hummus + baby carrots + watermelon: $0.80 ($1.10 if you don't get free veggies)
Tabbouleh: total: 7 cents per serving (71 cents per recipe)
bulgur wheat from winco bins: 9 cents for 1 cup for the whole recipe, so maybe 1 cent per serving
cucumber: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets
red bell pepper: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets
parsley: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets
olive oil: 50 cents per 1/4 cup, so maybe 5 cents
lemon juice: from a lemon I bought on discount as smiths (10 cents)
cumin, salt, pepper: maybe 2 cents
Tazatziki: 8 cents per serving (78 cents for the entire recipe)
yogurt: 2.56 for the container which is 25 cents per cup
sour cream: 50 cents per half cup
cucumber: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets
dill, salt, pepper: maybe 2 cents per recipe
Hummus: 15 cents per serving (1.40 for the entire recipe)
garbanzo beans: 86 cents per can (17 cents per serving)
olive oil: 50 cents per 1/4 cup
lemon juice: from a lemon I bought on discount as smiths (10 cents)
garlic powder: less than 1 cent
Tortillas: 1.98 for 10 tortillas (20 cents each)
baby carrots: 12 cents per serving
watermelon: 4.58 each (about 20 cents per serving)
total: $0.80 for one hummus, tazatziki, tabbouleh wrap with carrots and watermelon
add .30 cents for cuke, bell pepper and parsley per serving if you don't grow your own, so $1.10
